Mass Effect: Solitary Star
by F'Char
Summary: Shepard has made a thousand hard decisions and seen them all through. But as she tries to save the galaxy she is haunted by her past. Can Shepard rise above it all and save a galaxy in need?
1. Prologue

_**Mass Effect: Solitary Star  
><strong>_

**_Prologue_**

* * *

><p><span>Legal Information:<span>

_This story, which is called "Solitary Star", is an independent fanfic. Neither this story, nor the author is authorized or sponsored by, nor licensed or affiliated in any way with any entity involved with or representing the development, marketing, distribution or support of EA, or BioWare Corporation. All titles, items, and characters, described or referred to in "Solitary Star" of the original game are trademarks of their respective companies. This fanfic is absolutely non-commercial and non-profit, and may not be distributed in any forms or in any parts without prior consent of the author "F'Char"._

Concerning Spoilers:

This story may include spoilers during the timeline of Mass Effect or Mass Effect 2. No spoilers from Mass Effect 3 will be present.

* * *

><p>Shepard had it coming and she didn't even know it.<p>

The man swept his fingers through his blonde hair as he stared at her. _Might not be good with a gun_, he mused with a crooked smile, _but words__** are**__ my forte._

He shuffled the papers in front of him casually and quietly, allowing his gaze to pan the room as he politely waited his turn to speak.

The turnout had been_ remarkable_. The room they were currently in was large enough to house hundreds of people easily, and that it had. A line was even formed outside of the door and snaked to the entrance of the hotel. Beautifully exotic flowers decorated the chamber both visually and fragrantly, lending a calm air about the room despite all of the excitement. The centerpieces on the tables were to _die_ for and the koi pond was just as genius a design as the rest. Anyone with a good number of credits to their name had made their way to Bekenstein's _Golden Horizons Hotel_ for a press conference with none other than Commander Shepard herself.

He was going to make sure they weren't disappointed.

He adjusted the mic on the side of his mouth with a pearly white smile and then stood to his feet, the chair behind of him catching on the floor and causing a scraping sound as he did so.

"Commander Shepard," he began with a flip of his wrist toward the woman. "Thank you for taking time out of your _very _busy schedule to meet and talk with us-" He lifted his fingers up and made mocking quotation marks with his hands as the next word spilled from his lips. "-'normal' people. I know it must be a bother." He watched as her lips opened in protest. He wasn't going to let her speak. There were two outcomes: Either she was going to defend herself or she was going to make him look like a complete ass. He decided neither was appropriate.

"I would also like to thank Golden Horizons for housing this exquisite Press Conference." A soft, eager murmur spread over the crowd like a cresting wave; the anticipation was already growing. "Now, Commander Shepard," his soft brown eyes turned on the woman, "before we begin, I'd like to remind you we have over forty-four different news channels and at _least_ a billion citizens eagerly awaiting the words of their famous hero."

He watched as Shepard's eyes grazed over the crowd in a cautious manner. _Good_, he thought as he politely laced his hands behind his back, _she's on edge. Maybe she'll let something slip accidentally. _He'd try the easier questions first. Get her comfortable and in a pattern. "The first question I'd like to ask you comes from a poll on on the extranet."

Shepard took the glass of water in from front of her and held it up to take a sip before putting it back down.

"Commander Shepard, what is your favorite color?" As he asked this, a few murmurs of approval jostled the crowd out of their silence.

"Red." Her answer was crisp, clear, and short.

"Red you say?" He threw her a wink as she looked his way. "Are there any particular reasons you like red?"

"It symbolizes many things. I find it most aesthetically pleasing." She fell silent again.

It was apparent he was going to have to work with her to get her to open up a little more. This conference, he assumed, was also going to make him or break him as a reporter. He placed a curled finger to his lips for a moment in thought before he continued. "Who is your favorite crew member?" His tone held a slightly playful edge.

"Irrelevant. Next question." She waved a hand in his direction.

"Very well then. Perhaps one of the most asked questions on Bekenstein: What_ do_ you use to keep your hair so amazingly volumized and brilliantly shining?" As he asked this he turned his attention to her hair. Any _respectable _person would have fainted at the sight of her. She was bland, had no fashion sense, _and _the bruises on her cheeks and guns on her hips just reinforced the fact that she was little more than a brute, semi-intelligent animal to him.

She clasped her hands together and leaned into the table as she once again studied the crowd. "Whatever I can find." There were plethoras of tapping sounds as people began to record her answer.

A forced laugh built up in the man's throat before he allowed a fake, throaty chuckle to escape his lips. "I suppose it's just your natural beauty. Now, my next question runs a bit deeper than your hairline."

Shepard nodded at him to continue.

_As if I need permission, _he scoffed inwardly. "Recent reports show that both romance novels and romance movies regarding interspecies relationships with turians and humans have skyrocketed within the past few months. Do you think you and your turian lover have anything to do with that?"

There! He had seen it himself! A twitch of her lips; the sudden, surprised bulge of the eyes! Her face was completely neutral as of now, of course, but his body trembled with bliss knowing that he had made an effect on her. His smile widened greatly as a large murmur from the crowd swept and echoed off the walls of the room. He hoped that damn dirty turian was watching.

"I have no idea. The turian and I are good friends only."

He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth a few times. "There have been numerous upon numerous reports of seeing you with what seems to be the same turian. On top of that, there have been claims made that there is footage to support these claims—and others as well."

"I'm going to repeat that we are just friends. I trust him, so perhaps _that_ is why people see him at my side so often."

The man took a glass of cool, clean water in his hand though he didn't take a drink. "What exactly does your past flame think of your strong relationship with the turian? …Kaidan? I believe that was his name, yes?" He held his glass out to her in a gesture of good will.

Shepard leaned back into her chair, her back completely rigid. "I'm not sure what my former companion thinks of my friendship with the turian now."

He swept one hand through the curly hair on the side of his head. He gave her a raised brow in curiosity. She was better at twisting his words than he had previously surmised. No matter.

"Speaking of _former_," as he said this, his gaze swept over the crowd and he put down the drink on the table in front of him. He shifted his weight onto the other foot and continued. ". . . Are you happy to have your former status as a Spectre back?"

She unlaced her hands and placed one on top of the other. She looked positively bored. "Yes."

"What would you say to those thousands, maybe millions of people who believe you faked your death and are now a traitor and no longer a hero?" It was a question full of twists and turns. He'd like to see her weave her way out of this one. His smile deepened as he watched her.

She took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly into the microphone. He could see her squint slightly as the spotlights from the cambots all turned and focused completely on her.

"People are going to believe what they believe. There's nothing I can do to change that. All I can say is disappearing for two years was not my choice." She lifted her hands up defensively into the air as a flourish of questions and chatter filled the space.

"All right, all right." The reporter lifted his hands into the air and then lowered them slowly, beckoning people to calm and fall silent.

"Next question: There have been rumors that you are using your time, status, and thousands of creds to do personal favors for your crew instead of helping the galaxy. Is this true?"

Shepard shook her head. "No."

The man cleared his throat. "Then how do you explain the rumors?"

Shepard lifted a single shoulder. "They're rumors. That needs no explanation."

The man began to pace back and forth a few steps on each side of his chair. "Some say you murder in cold blood. Some even say your vessel harbors ruthless killers and criminals running from certain law enforcements. What do you have to say for yourself on this topic?"

Shepard looked over at the male reporter as she answered. "That some people have shoddy references. On top of that they don't have the whole story before stooping to believe in half-truths." A trickle of sweat ran down Shepard's forehead and got caught in her brow.

"One more inquiry, Commander Shepard, and I'll turn the questions over to these brilliant reporters who are so anxious to speak to their hero." He swept a hand out and over the crowd in a wide, arrogant gesture.

"There have been whispers among some well-informed circles, which include both scientists and doctors, who agree you're pregnant. Who's the father?"

At this a unanimous gasp of exhilaration and astonishment filled the room. Shepard pressed a few fingertips to her forehead in exhaustion. The volume level in the occupied room was rising by the minute as reporters began screaming questions at her. Flashes of light from the cambots and people's datapads were relentless.

The reporter just stood there with a sly smile on his groomed countenance. He was completely swollen with pride. He had made a million creds tonight, easy.

He looked down to his terminal. An incoming message was on his screen blinking and waiting for him. His eyes snaked over the sender's name. _Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani._ He tapped on his mic once to turn it off and snorted toward the illuminated screen on his terminal. He was so much bigger now than some low-down, dirt digging Westerlund News reporter.

He turned to the crowd and waved politely at the numerous cameras and blinding lights that occasionally focused on him.

He tugged on his cuffs of his sleeves to put them back in a comfortable position before turning and looking back at Shepard.

The crowd still roared with questions in front of them as she held her head in her hands.

He smirked, his lips curling in devilish delight.

Shepard had it coming and she didn't even know it.


	2. Misinformed

Mass Effect: Solitary Star

Chapter One: Misinformed

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this story and add it to their favorite list or comment on it. I really appreciate it and it definitely helps as a motivation factor. If you have any other questions or comments you are welcome to message me. I check my inbox daily. Sorry for any misspellings and/or mistakes. Hopefully as I begin to write more I'll get back into practice. In any case, enjoy!

* * *

><p>Shepard pressed her fingers to her forehead in exhaustion and aggravation as stood in the airlock of the Normandy. The day had already been a long one, but the press conference she had just attended did little to put her in a better mood. There was a soft hiss as the door fluttered open in front of her.<p>

She stopped and looked to the left, half-expecting to see Joker sitting in the pilot's seat even if Normandy was docked. Nothing; She shook her head. _I guess everyone needs a little rest_, she thought to herself as she moved on. As she wove her way through the ship, she finally began to notice how eerily quiet and empty the vessel was when the crew wasn't there.

As she walked along the consoles in the middle of the room in the Combat Information Center, her eyes darted over to her own terminal screen. After a moment of hesitation, she decided she should probably check her messages. She had been gone for hours and there was no way of telling what problems could have crept up since then. She typed in her username and password. Then the voice recognition software popped up on the terminal screen, waiting for input. She sighed and then spoke.

"Commander Shepard." She said softly and looked over to the empty space Kelly usually stood in. It only took a fraction of a second for the process to successfully complete before she was allowed to navigate her personal messages. The top of her screen began to blink rapidly as she scrolled through the list. She frowned. _Thirty new messages_, she breathed in exasperation. Then quickly closed and locked down the terminal. She would deal with it later. She was already beginning to feel a slight throb behind her eyes. She didn't need it to get any worse.

"Shepard." EDI's voice rang out in the hushed room. "I wanted to inform you that most of the crew on board is socializing in the crew quarters. The topic is one you might be interested in."

Shepard turned slightly to regard the blue-colored holograph. "Thanks, EDI. I'll be down in a moment." With that the room turned quiet again as EDI faded from sight. Shepard straightened and pulled down the sleeves on her uniform. She had no idea what the topic was, but her mind led her to believe it had something to do with the press conference. She inwardly groaned. Her feet carried her over to the elevator as her mind wandered over a thousand different topics regarding the conference. Why did people think she was pregnant? Why did people assume she and Garrus were an item? Surely she hadn't done anything to make them suspect. . .

Shepard didn't even realize she was out of the elevator and making her way around the corner and into the mess hall until she heard her name. She blinked a few times and slid up against the wall quietly, listening in. She usually wasn't one to hide in the shadows and listen to people's conversations but she was curious. _Curiosity did always kill the cat_, she mused.

"No. Pregnancy highly unlikely." Mordin sniffed. "No physical signs of distress. Smell and taste unchanged. Mood swings. . ." Mordin put his fingers to his lips in thought. ". . . normal?"

Miranda butted in. "I agree with Mordin. Even a half-brained lunatic could tell that was just a publicity stunt. Now let's move on to another topic."

"What?" Jack sneered. "Like how Garrus and Shepard have finally found out how turians and humans fu-."

"Woah, woah." Garrus put his hands up in defense, an amused expression falling over his features.

"It's small ship," Zaeed grunted. "We'd at least know . . . or hear about it if that were true." He gave the turian an inky smile.

Shepard pushed away from the wall and straightened her back. She slicked her fingers over her hair to make sure it was still pulled tightly in a bun and rounded the corner casually.

A chorus of greetings rang out from the few crew members not on short shore leave from the Normandy.

"Shepard," Garrus began with a slightly surprised expression, "We were just-"

"-Wondering where you were," Miranda finished before looking back at Garrus. "What took you so long?" She tilted her head curiously as she regarded the Commander.

"I had to deal with a few things," Shepard said nonchalantly. Her gaze roamed over the few faces that were there. "First things first though, because I know you have questions." She quickly wondered why EDI didn't tell the rest of the crew that she was coming. She also wondered why EDI didn't give her away when she was secretly listening to their conversation. "I am absolutely one hundred percent certain I am _not_ pregnant. No, as I said in the interview, Garrus and I are not a couple. We're close friends who trust each other, and I'm not even sure what footage they were talking about. Third. . ." Her gaze drifted over to Miranda. "I want to know how those bastards are keeping track of our movements. A reporter from the _Galaxy_ _Gazette _knew almost every planet we've landed on. Inhabitable and uninhabitable. That's dangerous."

Miranda dipped her head in acknowledgement. "I'll see what I can do, Commander."

"And with this turn of events, I think I'll be heading back to the battery for some more calibrations." Garrus said as he stood from the table.

Jack watched him stand and began to snort in amusement. "Pfeh. What's wrong turian? Can't get it right the first thousand times you messed with it?"

"No," Garrus said as he adjusted his armor. "I make sure when I do something, I do it right. And damn well."

With that he began to walk back to the battery with his normal swagger. Jack slammed her fist down on the table and stood as the chair underneath her scraped harshly. She left the room with an irritated pace.

Miranda turned and headed for her own room. She quietly exited with no words or acknowledgements. She had a job to do.

Mordin walked over to Shepard, his fingers going to his lips once again in thought. He blinked a few times and then began to converse with her. "Shepard. If free, would like to see you in lab for blood samples. Need to verify-"

Shepard shook her head. "I've already told you, Mordin. I'm not pregnant."

"Shocking suggestion." Mordin breathed in and started to blink a few more times. "For science. Not rumors. Must understand. Need to keep patient files up to date."

Shepard sighed. "All right, Mordin. Give me a while to rest and I'll stop by."

Mordin nodded. "Will be in the lab if you need me."

Shepard's emerald gaze drifted over Jacob as he sat silently with his arms crossed. She rubbed her finger behind her ear and then sat opposite of him at the table.

"You're pretty quiet," Shepard stated as she watched the man.

He looked over at her, shook his head, and then looked up at the screen above the table. "You got reamed, Commander. Wasn't fair."

Shepard threaded her fingers together and stared at the table's surface in contemplation. What could she say? She had just been publically disgraced by baseless rumors that did nothing but put her character in a negative light. _But then again_, Shepard thought to herself as she bit her lip out of habit, _when __**don't**__ I get screwed over?_

"Shepard," Miranda called out as she trotted over to the table moments later after being in her room. "I've got some disturbing news while combing through your personal accounts."

Shepard raised a dark brow.

Miranda leaned over to speak in hushed tones to the woman. "It seems like someone is hacking into one of your accounts. I've changed the code four times out of principle before I started to encrypt it. They broke through that, too. I'm not sure what's going on because the provider of the credits won't speak to me. The only way they say this issue will be resolved is if you speak with them in person. . .again."

"Again?" Shepard looked up at the woman in confusion.

"Yes. . ." Miranda hesitated, and then looked over at Jacob. When it was apparent he wasn't paying attention, the woman continued. "They said they saw you two days ago in Thessia. You came into the building, asked to open the account for a million creds. Long story short . . . it was granted. With fingerprint verification."

Shepard pursed her lips. "There's no way I was there two days ago. None of us were."

Miranda's expression strained as she watched Shepard's brows knit in confusion. "Exactly."


	3. Another Time

Mass Effect: Solitary Star

Chapter Two: Another Time

* * *

><p>Garrus stood alone in the main battery room for what seemed like hours.<p>

His mind crawled with a thousand unanswered questions. He had told himself hours ago he wasn't going to watch the vid of the press conference with Shepard. . .but ever since he found out that there had been a mention of Shepard and him as a couple. . .

Garrus sighed and moved over to his private terminal at the edge of the room. At least there he could actually hear someone entering before they caught sight of what he was doing. Better yet, he'd be able to switch over the programs in the blink of an eye in order to keep his private matters just that-private.

His predatory gaze hovered to the side, watching the door carefully, as he placed a gloved hand to the terminal screen. The room flickered with a muted white glow as the monitor came to life. His eyes drifted back to the terminal screen and he navigated quickly to the extranet and searched for the vid. It wasn't hard to find. The first hit from _Galaxies & More _led him straight to what he was looking for.

He shifted in anticipation. He was unsure of why he was so impatient. He really didn't give a damn what everyone thought of him and her. He knew where they stood; they were good friends who respected and trusted one another. Granted . . . things had been a little awkward since they had met again; they hadn't really had time to privately speak to one another. He . . . hadn't even had time to tell her that he was glad she. ._wasn't _dead. His mandibles subconsciously flared as he thought on it. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe. . .

His gaze lingered on the screen as the word "turian" snapped him out of his thoughts. An arrogant human voice belonging to some male off screen reverberated from the terminal.

". . ._turians and humans have skyrocketed within the past few months. Do you think you and your turian lover have anything to do with that?"_

Garrus momentarily seemed unaware of the fact that his breath hitched as he watched Shepard's reaction. He observed the screen as the white's of her eyes became more apparent; her own breath paused for the slightest of moments, and her rose colored lips trembled. He wasn't exactly sure what it meant. Humans had a broad range of facial expressions and emotions to go along with them. But at least he knew the question affected her in some way.

He let out the breath he was holding.

Shepard's voice could be heard next._ "I have no idea. The turian and I are good friends only." _There was a slight pause and the reporter's voice started up again. _"There have been numerous upon numerous reports of seeing you with what seems to be the same turian. On top of that, there have been claims made that there is footage to support these claims—and others as well." _Garrus tilted his head slightly in thought. He was unaware of any footage that could have caught them in a compromising situation. He and Shepard just didn't act that way toward one another. He quieted his thoughts and turned his attention back to the monitor.

Shepard's strong voice continued the conversation on-screen. "_I'm going to repeat that we are just friends. I trust him, so perhaps that is why people see him at my side so often_."

The turian nodded at that. He trusted Shepard enough to put his life in her hands. He was sure the feeling was mutual.

The reporter on the screen lifted a glass of water to his lips, but then quickly put it back down without taking a drink. He spoke again. "_What exactly does your past flame think of your strong relationship with the turian? …Kaidan? I believe that was his name, yes_?"

The room no longer danced with the colors of the vid on-screen as his gloved hand tapped the monitor once to turn it off. He didn't want to see any more.

He casually placed on hand on the top of his head and pulled it back to the base of his fringe as a sign of uncertainty. He felt both exhilarated and despondent after watching the vid and he wasn't sure which emotion made him feel less troubled. One thing was sure though; he needed to talk to Shepard.

He looked around the room for the briefest of moments before he decided that now was a good time. He could calibrate later, and he had heard that Shepard was just resting up in her private quarters. He pushed himself off of the desk and turned for the door.

As he made his way to the elevator he shared a nod or two with some of the other crewmen roaming the deck. He also bumped into Chakwas and had to listen to a stream of orders about taking care of himself and his wound. He lifted his hands defensively, explained he had some things to do but that he'd be back later, and walked off.

He shook his head and waited for the elevator doors to open with an amused expression on his features. Chakwas might have been human, but she was definitely amusing to watch and interact with. Kind of reminded him of-

The elevator doors opened and he stepped through. He tapped the button for the first deck and leaned against the wall in the elevator as the doors closed. As the music started to play, he honestly began to wonder if he should be disturbing Shepard's rest. After all, when all things were considered she probably got less sleep than he did.

As the elevator slowed and the doors opened again, revealing Shepard's cabin, he hesitated. He knew _he_ wanted to talk to her. He knew_ he _felt things were slightly awkward between them and he wanted to clear the air. But he just wasn't sure what she felt. She barely brought up the subject of her death, understandably so, even to those closest to her unless provoked.

A sudden burst of adrenaline overwhelmed him and he decided to forgo all his doubts and hesitation.

He was Garrus Vakarian and this . . . was going to be one hell of a conversation. 

* * *

><p>Shepard's eyes fluttered open in the darkened room.<p>

Her mind stumbled over itself as it lurched to catch up with the rest of the body's processes; waking had been unexpected and a peculiar deviation from the restful hibernation it had been drowning in.

Her emerald eyes watched as a thousand stars sparkled and fluttered by above her. She blinked once as the lights slowly brightened the room, leaving the space flourished in light but still dim and peaceful enough not to hurt her eyes.

And then her doorbell sounded. Shepard's fingers wove through the hair on her head as she sat up. She blinked a few more times to try and release the grogginess from her eyes. Her emerald gaze wove over her legs and then clothes she had been wearing since the Conference. She groaned. She needed a shower. She had accidentally fallen asleep while going over the reports in her quarters.

A second ring from the doorbell jarred her from her thoughts. She scooted off the bed, patted down the wrinkles in her clothes as best she was able and tightly wound her messy hair in a bun. With an intake of breath she trotted over to the entrance of her room and pushed the button to unlock the doors. They opened with a soft hiss.

Garrus stood on the other side.

"Garrus?" Shepard's dark brows creased as she looked over the turian. There didn't seem to be any urgency in his body language and he looked healthy enough.

"Shepard." The turian nodded his head once in acknowledgement and then his gaze passed over her face. ". . . bad time?"

Shepard shook her head and then invited him in with a gesture. "No. I was just. . ." She looked back over her shoulder at the mess of datapads and sheets on her bed. ". . . going over reports." She finished lamely.

"Listen Shepard; if this really _is_ a bad time I can come back later. It's nothing important." He pointed over his shoulder at the elevator.

Shepard waved a hand through the air. "Come on in Garrus. I can already tell there's something bothering you." She moved out of the doorway and started to head for the couch.

"Right. . ." Garrus's hand dropped to his side and he followed her quietly. The door automatically closed and locked behind of him.

He sat opposite her on the couch, and casually lifted and placed his arms atop the sofa's raised back. Shepard, for her part, politely crossed her legs and threaded her fingers together before placing them on her knee.

"So. . ." Garrus watched her for a moment as she found a comfortable position. ". . . first I wanted to talk about the press conference and what was said."

Shepard shrugged casually. "It's not a big deal. The reporter was trying to push buttons and start rumors. That's all. Everyone that's close to us knows what's going on and where we stand."

He nodded in response. "I know Shepard. I just don't want people to look at you negatively or differently because of what one reporter said." He shrugged as much as he was able with his armor on. Hesitation stirred thickly in the air with silence before he continued his train of thought. ". . . and I want you to know that I understand if you feel it necessary that I stay off the radar for a bit in order for the rumors to quell."

Both of Shepard's brows creased as she looked at him. "Stay off the radar? Do you really think I'm that worried about it?"

The turian shrugged uncomfortably.

"Listen Garrus, if I really was that worried about it, I'd make an official statement or let you know I was uncomfortable." Shepard's lips curved into a faintly ironic smirk. "You should know me better than that by now."

"Maybe." Garrus's features held no amusement to them, only a painstaking thoughtfulness. "There's been a lot that's happened recently Shepard. For starters, you. . ." He sighed. It was all too much to absorb if he thought about it at once.

"I know, Garrus." Shepard's lips pursed as she thought on it too. "I don't know how to explain it or make sense of it. One moment I'm drifting into space and taking my last breath. The next I'm blinking up into sterile lights on a clinical table in some lab for the first time in two years."

The turian's gaze lingered on her for a time, watching her features and the uncomfortable shift in her bearing as the subject turned serious. "I thought I had lost you, Shepard. We all did. Kaidan? He. . ."

The Commander let out an unsteady breath. "Garrus-" She started softly as she gently placed her hands over her head.

It was a side of her he rarely got to witness. She was usually the stoic, emotionless and fearless leader they all adored.

"When I saw you for the first time in my scope I thought I was dreaming Shepard." He held his hands out, as though grasping for the right words. ". . . or that a ghost was coming to haunt me before my death." His whole body moved forward to the edge of the couch as he spoke to her. "I just wanted you to know that I still c-"

"Commander?" Joker's voice interrupted over the intercom in her room, his snarky and amused tone breaking the moment. "Just thought you should know we're entering the relay soon. If you want a first look at Thessia from the best seat in the house, I suggest you start making your way to the bridge. Joker out."

Shepard stood as soon as Joker's voice faded. She looked over at Garrus. "I'm sorry Garrus; we'll have to finish this conversation another time." She quickly looked away and moved over to her armor locker to begin suiting up.

"Right." His tone held a ring of disappointment as he made his way to the door. "Another time, Shepard." With that he disappeared.

Shepard placed her head on the wall and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>Shepard stood behind Joker as they made their way to the relay.<p>

Joker began the countdown with a small smirk on his features. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Hold on, Commander. We're going for a ride!"

A blinding white light passed over the ship's bridge. Shepard shielded her eyes with her hand for the briefest of moments until they finally made their way to the Parnitha system.

Joker sniffed as the Normandy drifted near the relay in Parnitha. He looked back over his shoulder at Shepard with a goofy grin. "Easy as-" His mouth suddenly dipped into a frown as he noticed her features.

Shepard's eyes widened in surprised. "Son of a-."


	4. Operation Sundown

Mass Effect: Solitary Star

Chapter Three: Operation Sundown

Author's Note: I wanted to thank everyone that's encouraged me to continue writing so far and/or added my story to your favorites and watch lists! You guys rock. Seriously.

Adventuress: Thanks for your kind review Adventuress. It's appreciated and I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far.

AnonCobra: I hope you like the Garrus romance! And regardles of if it's anon or signed-in, I still appreciate the effort of leaving a review. Thanks for the encouragement! Hope you enjoy chapter four.

To all the rest: If you have any questions or comments or constructive critisism, don't be afraid to leave a review or shoot me a PM. Hope you're enjoying the story.

* * *

><p>Before Shepard could even finish her sentence EDI was already prepping the ship for the brunt of a full frontal assault.<p>

"Shield systems engaged. Stealth systems engaged. Scrambler systems online. Targeting system online." There was a small hesitation as Joker turned around fast enough to audibly complain about breaking a rib before he finished her sentence. "Main guns online."

Joker unnecessarily and forcefully pressed his fingers on the holographic pad in front of him partly out of the surge of adrenaline from the situation and partly from the fact that his concentration mode suddenly kicked into overdrive. "Starting evasive maneuvers."

Shepard used her quick thinking and reflexes to dive into the co-pilot seat next to Joker. She slammed her finger on one of the holo buttons on the keyboard and began to speak. "Commander Shepard speaking. We're being attacked. Get to your stations. _Now_." She knew that's all she had to say. Every crewman aboard the Normandy was a piece to the bigger puzzle. If one didn't fit correctly . . . well. . .

She shook herself out of her own thoughts and immediately barked an order at the blue mass next to Joker. "EDI, see if you can get a visual on our attackers. I want to know who they are and why they're attacking _this_ ship."

Shepard felt herself slightly lean to the left as Joker moved the _Normandy_ out of the way of another incoming blast that was poorly aimed. Or . . . she assumed it was poorly aimed. Maybe their technology was just that superior though.

EDI's voice rang out in the bridge. "Scanning. . ."

Shepard watched on the terminal as three small enemy ships hovered close enough to try and target her home for another attack. The _Normandy _shuttered as a missile missed its mark and blew in the empty space next to them.

"Come on, EDI." Shepard said irritably. "I need an answer."

There was a moment of silence before EDI confirmed what she had found. "The ships lack any _specific _rank or insignia. They are also purposefully modeled aesthetically to confuse the enemy; however I have found this use of warfare and ship prototype to be utilized among a certain splinter cell group named . . . Searching. . ."

There was another hesitation before EDI lamely finished.

"Results inconclusive."

Shepard's mind quickly went over different tactics and solutions for each one. In a few moments, she looked over at her screen and issued more orders with such a sudden calm that it made Joker's skin crawl. "EDI, would you be able to flush out a tracking device onto that second ship if we got close enough?"

"The probability of success is 98.9899, Shepard." EDI replied.

"Do it," Shepard said with one nod of her head.

The blue hologram fluttered out of existence after she spoke. She assumed it was so EDI could focus on the orders given.

"Joker, I want you to keep the central ship intact. All other targeted vessels are green." Shepard made a gesture that Joker knew not to argue with and proceeded to do as told.

"Garrus." Joker said through the intercom.

"Calibrated; the board is green." Garrus replied back from the main battery as if they _weren't _in the middle of a conflict.

Joker nodded once to himself. "Let's show them how it's done."The pilot set to work at once on multi-tasking under orders. He quickly and easily maneuvered the _Normandy_ around any other remaining threats as he took out the two targets without a drop of sweat. "That was. . ." His dark brows crinkled. ". . . a little too easy Commander. Something isn't right."

Shepard's head snapped in his direction. "Explain."

"I don't know how to. Just a gut feeling I guess. . ." He stumbled over himself trying to explain himself in terms Shepard would understand while still keeping everything in control. "It just felt like whoever was trying to start something with us were complete amateurs when it comes to skirmishing . . . and actually _hitting a target_. Like . . . a civilian holding a gun for the first time." He shrugged lamely.

Shepard bit her bottom lip in thought. There could have been a thousand probable explanations for what just happened. "Mercs and slavers looking for a quick payoff usually don't care who they attack. They probably expected someone less prepared."

Joker nodded as they darted over the last remaining vessel. "Your turn EDI." He said as he kept watch over the screen in front of him.

"Tracking device deployed. Uploading . . . 25 percent. . ." EDI commented as Joker pressed a few more buttons.

"Comon'. Comon'." Joker hovered close enough to the ship to get its attention, but not close enough for it to become dangerous to him and his ship.

"Warning: Maintain standard protocol procedures on distance while uploading commences. Fifty percent." EDI informed Joker.

"With this thing around, you'd think I've never-" Joker jutted a thumb over his shoulder at the spot where EDI's hologram usually sat.

"Warning: Ship's travel trajectory pattern shows it is now heading for the relay. Estimated time until object meets intended destination is zero hours, one minute, forty-five seconds. Caution recommended. Upload at seventy-five percent."

All Shepard could do now was hold her breath and wait. Wait on someone else. Depend on someone else. She hated the feeling of helplessness that spread through her at that moment. She wanted to be active and participating. Not some fly on the wall. So she did what she knew best. She barked out more orders.

"Joker stay on top of them but don't make them too nervous." She pointed at Joker as she said this.

Joker just looked at her for a second before looking back at the screen.

"EDI keep on that upload. This is our one chance to find out if this was just a coincidence or something more."

"Upload at ninety percent, Shepard. Chance of success has lowered significantly to 49.999 percent based on the outcome of events." EDI quieted after speaking to Shepard.

Shepard pushed the button to allow the shutter control to slide back. As soon as she did so she caught sight of a bright flash of light and the ship they had been tracking was gone in a blink of an eye. She frowned. "Report." She stated.

One by one each of her crew reported to her in the order they were given. All systems sustained little if no damage and there were no injuries or deaths. That part was obvious, she knew, but she was that person who double and triple checked everything when the situation called for it.

"Charting the course to Thessia," Joker said as he looked over at Shepard and whispered ". . . again."

Shepard stood and walked over to EDI's platform in the bridge. "EDI," she called.

As Shepard did so, a blue tint took over the room as EDI appeared. "Shepard." EDI greeted pleasantly.

"Report." Shepard said sternly.

"Upload 99.555% complete, Shepard." EDI responded.

Shepard's heart jumped to her throat even though she looked as calm and composed as ever.

"Upload incomplete. No data available."

Shepard let out a barely audible and disappointed breath.

* * *

><p>A few hours later after docking on Thessia, Shepard had called a meeting in the debriefing room so the crew knew what to expect.<p>

"No." Shepard slashed a hand through the air even though her expression and stance was completely neutral. "We're not staying here for long. We've got a thousand other things to do. Get your specific jobs done on time and report back here in 0800. Dismissed." Shepard threw her hand in the air toward the door and then crossed her arms as she watched her crew file out. All except Miranda and Mess Sergeant Gardener.

There was an audible groan from Engineer Donnelly and Zaeed. Kelly's lips puffed out a little in disappointment. Shepard didn't care; she wasn't going to sit around and wait while they got their "blue fix"; others out there needed their help. On top of that, she had a gut feeling that once she figured out what was going on, she'd want to keep her trail fresh and her crew ready.

Mess Sergeant Gardner slowly made his way up to her as he fidgeted with his fingers. He looked tired; there were dark circles under his eyes and his whole face looked a little flushed and puffy.

"Hey, Commander?" He looked away from her for a moment and put one of his hands on the back of his neck.

"Need something, Gardner?" Shepard replied casually, although she watched him closely.

"Well. . .uh. Not that it's a big deal or anything. I mean, we all really appreciate what you-." Gardner began before he was cut off by Shepard.

"Tell it to me straight, Gardner. You know I don't like it any other way." Shepard still had her arms crossed.

He looked at Shepard for a minute, completely unsure. Could it have been a joke? Maybe. It was always hard to tell with Shepard; especially when her features were so bland and impartial all the time. "Right," he started again. "Well. I was just wondering if there's enough credits floating around to think about a few upgrades for the ship. I mean, we're high tech and everything, but I'm one of those that work with the more mundane things. Like in the kitchen. Bathrooms. That sort of thing. . ." He watched Shepard for a sense of reaction. He failed to see one.

"Tell me what you need, Gardner, and I'll think about it. Actually. . ." She held up her arm and punched a few buttons on her omni-tool. ". . . send me a list and I'll look it over and consider it."

"All right. Thanks again, Commander." He smiled over at her and dropped his hand back down to his side. "Again, the ship's great and all, but looking at it from a mundane point of view for the crew. . ." With that he shrugged and then turned to move out of the room.

"Ready Commander?" Miranda asked when the room finally emptied.

"Always." Shepard replied as she moved past her and headed for the airlock.

* * *

><p>"The structural integrity of Thessia is truly remarkable," Miranda commented as they stood outside of one of the bigger bank buildings in Thessia.<p>

Shepard didn't disagree. The bustling, crowded streets and the gracefulness of the architecture reminded her of a place back on Earth.

"Now," Miranda began, "You'll need to go in alone to resolve the problem. If another party is a witness, they may refuse to cooperate until the third party has departed. It's how they use their intimidation tactics on customers. I will, however, be watching you from the camera I embedded in the crest of your shirt in case something goes wrong as we've discussed previously." Miranda smirked a little and looked back up at Shepard once she was done with her omni-tool. "I can't believe you wanted to wear your armor and weapons inside a bank. A very highly developed, secured bank."

Shepard shrugged once, slightly deflated. "It's what I'm used to. I don't like tight fitting things." She replied as she looked up into the air, still scanning the peaks of the buildings.

". . . I'll try and guide you throughout the levels of the building with your earpiece if something goes wrong. I'll also be collecting any information that could lead us in the right direction of solving this." Miranda looked around cautiously, ". . . you know where to find me."

She watched as the brunette turned around and quickly disappeared within the throng of people on the street. "Damn," Shepard muttered under her breath. "She's good."

* * *

><p>Once Shepard had made her way inside the glass building and up to the fifth floor, she finally found a sign pointing to the office number she was told to look for. She turned slightly to her left and began to walk.<p>

She sauntered down a long narrow hallway before coming to a complete stop in front of one of the building's large, open windows.

The view was truly breathtaking. The gentle way the water lapped over the structure of the building, the manner in which the sun splintered and glistened over the other structures to make them look like gems, and lazily drifting pink and orange clouds overhead all foiled together perfectly.

This.

This is what Shepard was fighting for; the little moments like these that took her breath away unexpectedly and made her smile.

Shepard turned to her right and walked down another narrow hallway and stopped, facing in front of an office door. She pushed the button next to the entry and spoke into the intercom.

"Member One-five-seven-eighty-nine-four. I need to discuss a private matter regarding my account." Shepard said casually.

The banker looked through the door, mentally appraising Shepard and her mannerisms. She typed in the number Shepard stated and pulled up her profile. The asari sighed. The little note at the bottom stating _Warning: Arrogant and rude. Try to use procedure 112 A with this type of customer as stated in the handbook_ did nothing but put her on edge before the meeting even began.

"Come in Shepard," replied a strained female voice from the intercom. The door unlocked on its own and slid open for Shepard to enter.

Shepard nodded once to the other woman before she took a seat at the front of the desk. She looked around and her lips twitched once. Neat, crisp and clinical; everything was in order in this woman's office. Shepard noted the asari dressed just as cleanly.

"What a lovely hairstyle you've changed to. It suits you," the banker began, "How may I help you today, Shepard?"

Shepard shrugged slightly as her brows dropped and knit together. What the hell was the asari talking about? Must have been small talk. Part of their training. "I think there may have been a mistake regarding my account."

The woman nodded once. "Could you tell me what mistake you're referring to?"

Shepard placed both elbows on her knees and looked the woman in the eye. "The mistake of opening an account I didn't authorize."

The woman put on an award winning smile. "I'm afraid that's incorrect Ms. Shepard. You actually came here. . ." The woman's blue eyes darted to her terminal. "Four days ago exactly. You requested to open up the account for the amount of. . ." The woman pushed a key once to move down Shepard's profile. ". . .one million credits. Your background was checked. Your planetside credit was checked, as well as all of the other personal accounts you agreed to when you signed the papers," She placed her hands on her knees and looked back at Shepard.

"No," Shepard said, completely calm as she stared at the woman. "I did no such thing."

"I'm sorry," the woman's lips dipped into a frown and her forehead wrinkled slightly. "I don't understand. You gave us the correct information; you signed and went through our identity check process, and allowed us to fingerscan and bioscan with permission."

"And I passed each one of those." Shepard stated curiously with a lifted brow.

The poor woman looked completely and utterly confused. "Of course you did. You took out your entire loan that day with permission from our President."

Miranda began to talk through the earpiece so quickly she thought the Cerberus officer was going to faint from lack of oxygen.

Shepard bit her bottom lip firmly enough that she thought for a split second it was going to bleed. "Two more questions." Because she was tired of listening to Miranda and she was tired of sitting in a perfectly white boxed room. "One; what was I wearing and what did my hair look like? Two; give me my file."

The woman's eyelids dropped so far down Shepard thought she was going to go to sleep. "To answer your first question," the woman started. "You were wearing a short white dress. You kept your hair down and behind your shoulders." The woman's eyes opened and she looked back at the screen. "I will certainly hand over your file if you give me a secure line to transfer it to."

Shepard poked a few buttons on her omni-tool while the asari engaged with her terminal. "There you are. Your file has been transferred to profile 1182 of the _Normandy_."

"Right. Thanks," Shepard said as she stood from the chair. She turned and headed for the door as she thought about the woman's previous description of "her".

"Have a nice day!" The woman gestured her farewell to Shepard through the form of a head bow and a smile.

Shepard took a breath as the doors opened and allowed her back through. She took a mid-step into the doorframe and paused. She turned slightly and looked over her shoulder. "You said I submitted to fingerscan and a bioscan, right?"

The woman behind the desk nodded.

"And you have surveillance footage of that?" Shepard asked cautiously.

"Yes, that is the procedure; especially with a loan amount that large." The woman smiled at Shepard, unsure.

". . .may I see it?" Shepard asked as she turned fully back toward the woman and out of the doorway.

"I'm unsure why it's relevant but if you can provide the information I'm uploading to you now, I will." The woman pushed a few buttons on her desk. The door to the room shut once more and a screen came into sight behind the woman as the lights dimmed in the room. After the banker and Shepard had communicated the correct information to each other, the asari typed a few more things into her terminal and a vid of security footage began to roll.

Shepard quietly watched as the figures on screen came into view.

Then she saw it.

Her worst nightmare coming true.

* * *

><p>A shower of golden light shimmered in the background of a dark room, illuminating the figure of a female just enough to make out her shadowy silhouette.<p>

The woman's full lips wrapped around a cigarette as she inhaled its sweet fumes; shortly after a few wisps of smoky grey curled around her nostrils as she exhaled, the motion fluid and deliberately controlled.

Her features held a tint of amusement as she watched the hologram of another silhouette in front of her. She had such fun playing these cat and mouse games. "She's in Thessia now," the woman purred. "The first part of Operation Sundown is complete."

"Very good," retorted a strong but genderless voice from the other end of the hologram. "Do not disappoint me." It was a warning laced with threat; the woman knew _that_ particular manipulation tactic all too well.

Her lips curled into a particularly wicked smirk. "I wouldn't _dream_ of crossing one of my biggest benefactors. You know that." Another chain of smoke swirled from her lips to the ceiling as she took a new hit from the cigarette.

She lazily crossed her long legs as the figure on the hologram disappeared without another word.

"Too easy," she whispered to herself in the dark room as she flicked the cigarette from her slender fingers.


End file.
